Scrubbing-machine.



J. A. GAFNEY. SCRUBBING MACHINE. APPLIoATIoN FILED 0oT.1o, 1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

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@9i/human @Rosnay with parts in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged 1longitudinal sectional view of the scrubber*v JAMES A. GAFNEY, OFBROWNSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCRUBBING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application led October 10, 1912.' Serial No. 725,000.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES A.- GAFNEY, acitizen -of the United States, residing at Brownsville, in the county ofFayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented 'certain 'new anduseful Improvements inl Scrubbing- Machines; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto'make and use the same. A

This invention relates to improvements in scrubbing machines.

' The object of the invention is to provide a scrubbing machine, thescrubbing element of which may be moved over the surface to be scrubbedwhile the other parts of the ma` chine remain stationary, and supply ascrubbing fluid to the scrubbing element for effecting the cleansingoperation, means being provided for retaining the fluid within a Aixedarea and for conveying the dirty fiuid to a suitable receptacle attachedto the ma chine. l l

With these and other objects in view, the

invention'consists of certain novel features of construction,combination and arrange` ment of parts as will be more fully describedVand claimed.

-l In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1.

is a diagrammatic view of a machine constructed in laccordance with thislnvention,

Fig. 3 is a bottom planrview thereof. Fig. 4 is a transversesirsectiontaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. hFig. 5 is a similar view taken on theline 5`5 of Fig. 2#

In the embodiment illustrated a suitable support for the machine isshown in the form of a platform 1 having a vacuum pump 2, of ordinaryconstruction mounted thereon and operated by a motor 3. A iuid supplytank 4 is connected with the vacuum pump by a pipe or hose 5 which isconnected with.

the top of said tank, said tank being also provided at its top with acheck valvc- 6. This tank 4 is connected at its lower end with ascrubber to be described by `means of a hose 7. A vacuum tank 8 is alsomounted on the platform 1 and is connected with the upper pump 2 'cyapipe 9 communicating With the end of said tank. This tank is alsoprovided with a check valve 10 land is connected with the scrubber by apipe 11.

The scrubber 12 which is connected with the supply and vacuum tanks bythe flexible pipes 7 and 11 is here shown in the form of a casing 13having a compartment 14 atone end thereof in which a turbine wheel 15 isrevolubly mounted on a shaft 16 whichextends longitudinally of thecasing 13 and also supports a scrubbing brushJ 17 which is fixed to saidshaft and mounted in a compartment 18 arranged in longitudinal alinementwith the compartment 14, said compartments 14" and 18 being separated bya vertical partition 19 through which theshaft 16 extends andywhichhasan opening 20 for. the inlet of the cleansing fluid from theturbine'chamber. The chamber 18 is here shown substantially 'rectangularin form in horizontal section and is provided around its lower edge witha squilgee 21, which serves to retain the cleansing fluid within acertain area limited by the lower edge of the chamberorcompartment 18,'to which said squilgee is applied and when the scrubber is moved overthe surface to be cleaned this squilgee draws the water with it andretains it within the casing.

This casing 13 is provided with a tubular shank or stem 22, which isAhere shown devt-a-chably connected with said casing and into which thehose or pipes 7 and 11' are housed, extending parallel with each otherwithin said stern and their ends communicating with passages 23 and 24.4The passage or conduit 23 communicates with the chamber 14 in which theturbine 15 is mounted and is de-y signed to supplythe cleansing fluidfrom .the tank 4 to said turbine and to rotate the tur` bine, therebyrotating the shaft 16 and the brush 17 mounted thereon. -This incomingfluid also passes from the turbine chamber 14, brush chamber'18 and isdistributed by said brush over the surface to be cleaned.

The passage oruco-nduit 24'with which the pipe 11 from the vacuum tankis connected communicates with the chamber 18 and is designed to conductthe dirty fluid which has been used for cleaning back to the tank 8 bymeans of the suction in said tank produced by the pump 2.

Means for regulating the supply of fluid. fromfthe tank to the turbineis here shown in theform of a Winged set screw 25 which extendstransversely through one wall of the conduit 23, and is adapted tobeadjusted transversely of saidconduit to vary the slze of the conduitat its entrance end and thus control the quantity of fiuid admitted tothel turbine.

In the use of this machine the tank 4 ha'ving been supplied with asuitable quantity of cleansing fluid, the motor 3 is started, therebyactuating the pump 2 which operates to force the liquid from the tank 4through the pipe 7 and conduit 23 to the turbine 15, thereby rotatingsaid turbine and turning the brush 17 which maybe moved by hand over thesurface to be. cleaned and allowed-to remain at any desired spot for anydesired length of time. The pump 2 also produces a vacuunrin the tank 8and the suction therein draws the water from the chamber- 18 up throughthe'conduit 24 and pipe 11., into the tank 8 from which it may beremoved at suitable intervals.

The squilgee 2l performs the double function of a squilgee and also of aretaining element for confining the water or other cleansing fiuidWithin the chamber 18 and thus preventing it from spreading overtheadjacent surface.

While I have described my invention with more or less minuteness asregards details and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I do notdesire to be limited thereto unduly anymore than is pointed out in theclaims. On the contrary, I contemplate all proper changesin form,construction` and arrangement, the omission of immaterial elements andsubstitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or renderexpedient.

I claim as my invention 1. Agscrubbi'ng kmaehine, comprising a vacuumpump, means for operating said pump, a fluid supply .tank and avacuumtank connected with said pump, casing having a revoluble brush mountedtherein, and means for revolving said brush actuated by fluid suppliedfrom said supply tank.

2'. A scrubbing machine, comprising a iuid supply tank, a casing, ashaft revolubly mounted in said casing, a scrubbing brush fixed to saidshaft, a turbine also fixed to said shaft, a conduit connected with saidtank and discharging on said, turbine, 1a vacuum tank, a conduitconnecting said vacuum tank with the brush compartment of said casingand a pump operable to force fiuid from the supply tank to said turbineand to return it to sald vacuum tank.

3. A scrubber comprising a casing having tw'o compartments, a revolubleshaft extending longitudinally through said compartments, a turbinefixed to said shaft in one compartment, a brush fixed to said shaft inthe other compartment, said brush compartment being open at its bottom,a conduit leadingv to said turbine compartment and a conduit leading tosaid brush compartment. 4. A scrubber comprising a easing having twocompartments, a revoluble shaft extending longitudinally through saidcompartments, a turbine fixed to said shaft in one compartment, a brushfixed to said shaft in the other compartment, said brush compartmentbeing open at its bottom, a conduit leading to said turbine compartmentand a conduit leading to said brush compartment, and adjustable meansfor said first mentioned conduit for varying its size.

5. A fountain scrubber comprising a casing having longitudinally alinedcompartments, one of which is closed at .its lower end and the otheropen, a partition between said compartments having an opening therein, asquilgee surrounding the lower edge of said open compartment, arevolubly mounted shaft extending through said compartments, a turbinefixed to said shaft in said closed compartment and a brush secured tosaid shaft in the open compartment with the bristles thereof extendingHush with said squilgee, conduits leading to said closed and openedcompartments respectively, and means for supplying fiuid to the conduitleading to said closed compartment and for withdrawing it from said opencompartment.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. GAFNEY.

Witnesses:

I-IARRY A. CATToW, MARGARET VAN RIPER.

